Integrating Gender and Nutrition within Agricultural Extension Services: Kenya Landscape Analysis

The country is located in East Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, and is slightly larger than twice the size of the U.S. state of Nevada. With a population of around 45 million people, Kenya has a relatively large population density. The country's two official languages are English and Kiswahili, with Kiswahili being more widely spoken in rural areas. Additionally, each of the country's 42 ethnic groups has its own language, and many of these languages have several dialects. Kenya's poverty status is a significant concern, with a large proportion of the population living below the poverty line. According to available data, a significant portion of the population relies on agriculture for their livelihoods, with many farmers struggling to access markets and sell their produce at a fair price. This has led to a situation where many farmers are unable to make a living wage, and poverty remains a persistent issue in the country. The agricultural sector in Kenya is a significant contributor to the country's economy, with many farmers relying on subsistence farming to make a living. However, the sector faces several challenges, including limited access to markets, inadequate infrastructure, and a lack of access to credit and other financial services. Women play a significant role in agriculture in Kenya, with many being the primary farmers and responsible for feeding their families. However, they often face significant barriers to accessing markets, credit, and other resources, which can limit their ability to improve their livelihoods. Kenya's national agricultural strategy aims to increase agricultural productivity and improve the livelihoods of farmers. The strategy focuses on several key areas, including improving access to markets, increasing access to credit and other financial services, and improving the quality of agricultural extension services. However, the strategy has faced several challenges, including limited funding and a lack of coordination among different stakeholders. Women in agriculture in Kenya face several challenges, including limited access to markets, credit, and other resources. They also face significant barriers to accessing agricultural extension services, which can limit their ability to improve their livelihoods. However, women are also playing an increasingly important role in agriculture in Kenya, with many being the primary farmers and responsible for feeding their families. Food security and nutrition are significant concerns in Kenya, with many households struggling to access sufficient food. The country has a high prevalence of malnutrition, particularly among children and pregnant women. The national nutrition strategy aims to improve nutrition outcomes in the country, with a focus on increasing access to nutritious food, improving maternal and child health, and reducing malnutrition. Extension and advisory services (EAS) play a critical role in supporting farmers in Kenya, particularly women. However, the EAS system in Kenya faces several challenges, including limited access to markets, inadequate infrastructure, and a lack of access to credit and other financial services. Women face significant barriers to accessing EAS, which can limit their ability to improve their livelihoods. The INGENAES project aims to strengthen the capacity of key stakeholders to provide improved EAS that better meet the needs of men and women farmers. The project focuses on several key areas, including building more robust, gender-responsive, and nutrition-sensitive institutions, projects, and programs capable of assessing and responding to the needs of both men and women farmers through EAS. The project also aims to identify and scale proven mechanisms for delivering improved EAS to women farmers. The Feed the Future approach in Kenya focuses on increasing agricultural productivity and improving the livelihoods of farmers. The approach aims to improve access to markets, increase access to credit and other financial services, and improve the quality of agricultural extension services. The USAID country strategy supports Feed the Future and potentially INGENAES, with a focus on improving agricultural productivity and reducing poverty. Several projects are relevant to INGENAES in Kenya, including the National Agriculture and Livestock Extension Program (NALEP) and the Feed the Future Multi-Year Strategy 2011-2015. These projects aim to improve agricultural productivity and reduce poverty, with a focus on increasing access to markets, credit, and other financial services, and improving the quality of agricultural extension services.